


I Remember The Time I Knew What Happiness Was

by awakencordy



Category: Captain America (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Background Relationships, Background or Implied Stucky, Background or Implied T'Challa/Bucky, Canon-Typical Violence, Captain America: Civil War (Movie) Compliant, Captain America: Civil War (Movie) Spoilers, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, First Kiss, Friends to Lovers, Gen, Long Distance Feels, M/M, Marvel - Freeform, Pining, Post-Captain America: Civil War (Movie), Pre-Slash, Slow Build, Slow Burn, Steve Rogers Feels, SteveTony, Stony - Freeform, Tony Stark Needs a Hug, a calm fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-19
Updated: 2016-06-16
Packaged: 2018-06-09 11:16:00
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 26
Words: 19,548
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6903601
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/awakencordy/pseuds/awakencordy
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>He couldn’t change the phone. </p><p>Weirdly, that little old thing reminded him of Steve. Out of this modern world, still working but not the same, trying to blend in but always popping out. Strong, durable, reliable. Doing what it knew best, not trying to do different things all at once.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

“Why do you have a flip phone?”

Startled, Tony looked around to see who was talking. He was getting used to being alone in the compound, it seemed. Funny how it was what he wanted when he built that place: to be left alone rather than feeling crowded in the Tower. 

He never emptied those rooms and floors in the Tower though, which was telling. 

“It’s not even a top brand, how did you even _find_ this?” Rhodey was murmuring to himself more than talking to him. 

He was getting better, which made Tony immensely and honestly _happy_. It was the only thing that made Tony smile those days but it was worth it. He knew Rhodey was the one who was doing all the hard work; relearning how to walk, how to stand, how to move and even how to lie down but damn if Tony was lying around. He built him custom made supporters, he generated self-sufficient little motors for his ankles and he basically opened a new era in prosthetics and rehabilitation industry.

For free. 

He was disgusted when his involved board offered him to take the patents and ask money for the new tech. It felt worse than selling weapons; asking patent share for something made to heal. It felt like asking for blood money, which Tony would refuse to take until his last breath. Especially not over Rhodey. 

“It was lying around here, somewhere. Must came here from the Tower in boxes, I don’t know.” Walking towards him and getting the phone, he went on. “Yeah, I used this somewhere on one project. These little guys can bury us, they’re that stable. And reliable. Unless they’re out of battery, of course- _and now I’m rambling_ , what are you doing down here? How did you even _get_ here, it’s far from your room-did you really make it?”

When his friend nodded, Tony went in for a hug and a clap on the back. His Rhodey, always doing the impossible. “Show those doctors.”

“I will. And you’re going to show your face to press. Tony, _no_ , you are. Don’t shake your head, I can’t hit you like I used to. Good. You’re just going to announce that Avengers are still running and they’re still under the power of Accords, okay?”

“Even when we’re not? Unless you didn’t notice and I wouldn’t blame you of course-you’ve got your own shit on your hands but we’re not ‘ _still running’_ , Rhodey. Well, some of us _are_ running but away from the law, not towards it.” Getting away from him and pocketing the phone, Tony started to meddle with his gadgets. Even they didn’t give joy like they used to. 

Was he getting old? Changing hobbies, getting cranky, sleeping more? He must be. 

It was _time_ , after all. 

*

Answering every personal question with an _‘I’m fine’_ was a talent Tony learned at 13. Unless he didn’t give that answer, people would not go away and if he _gave_ that answer, most of the doors opened themselves. 

So he was. Fine, that is. 

Avengers disassembled, he was fine. Half of the team turned into fugitives, he was fine. Their captain nearly killed them all for an assassin, he was fine. His (friend, he assumed) kept essential information secret from him for his convenience, he was _fine_. 

Tony knew Steve understood why he pushed for the Accords, why he wanted all of the team there, why he was head-first running after that _killer_ but later why he acted with them. Before hell broke loose Tony even thought for a moment there that they could get along. Steve’s ‘ _Bucky’_ and him. They could get along for Steve’s sake. The guy seemed like he just wanted to be left alone, after all. And he could make that happen. 

But then it all went to shit. 

He just couldn’t get over the fact that Steve _hid_ that from him, hoping against hope that it would never resurface. Little did he know that it would. Nothing related to a scandal could stay hidden in their age.

Tony knew inside his bones that if Steve shared that information with him _before_ all that stuff, he would have time. Time to think it through, time to look at all the angles but he didn’t. The famous Captain once led an army was not that tactful as opposed to what all those books said. 

*

He couldn’t change the phone. 

He knew it was what Steve could find with his limited finances, wherever he was. Tony could open the back, took the sim card out and transfer it to another phone. A better one, a capable one. 

But he didn’t. Weirdly, that little old _thing_ reminded him of Steve. Out of this modern world, still working but not the same, trying to blend in but always popping out. Strong, durable, reliable. Doing what it knew best, not trying to do different things all at once. 

It would be a hassle to cut it into a micro sim card anyway.


	2. Chapter 2

The world wasn’t a better place after the Accords. 

Tony wasn’t naive, he was more knowledgeable than Rogers in any given day, he knew what he was putting himself under when the Accords was offered. The thing was that after Ultron, he couldn’t trust his power. He knew he himself was a liability more than the others; with his intelligence and funding. No one could stop him if he wanted to turn bad. 

Even his creation couldn’t stop him.

*

“Thank you, Mr. Stark. It’s very important to us that you have this meeting. PR wants you there, more than anyone.”

Not that they could find Rogers, of course.

“If you could answer these pre-approved questions when open discussion starts, we’d be grateful. Would you like anything to drink?” 

Shaking his head no and saying that he was fine _;_ the girl left him to read the readied answers. He felt like a doll sometimes, but Tony knew he had to do these shit in order to make them stop fussing. 

_‘Do you know whereabouts of Steve Rogers and his company?’_ one of the cards said. It was probably the first question he’d be asked. It always went like that for the last month, anyway. 

“I don’t know, I’m sorry.” Steve would want him to answer with an ‘ _I turned down all my trackings and reports after the Ultron Accident’_ but they’d both knew it would be a lie. He just stopped enabling intelligence to the system which was reporting. He couldn’t stop monitoring; he knew what age they were living in. 

‘ _Did UN approve the case of Mr. Rogers, is there any news on that front?’_ another card asked. He couldn’t reveal that when everyone wanted to hang Steve for what happened, Tony stopped that bandwagon, threatening everyone that he’d be out too, if they officially announced Steve a law breaker. 

“Why are you defending him? Still?” Rhodey asked when he learned that meeting. “He nearly killed you! He knew what his buddy did and he still went after your throat, why are you defending him?”

“I’m not _defending_ him.” Tony replied back then, as calmly as he could. He tried to balance himself around Rhodey; he didn’t walk around, he didn’t have any outbursts to trigger his reflexes. “I’m just stopping them to put a label on him. We still need someone out there, Rhodey. I can’t do this on my own.” 

“But you’re not _alone_ , you’ve got Vision. He’s practically unstoppable.”

“And we can’t use him either. We’re now _setting an example_ , remember? We’re the poster boys now, I’m walking inside rules.”

Sighing, Rhodey looked at him. “Who knew you’d play by rules?”

Tony didn’t either. 

*

“Hello, Mr. Stark. Did UN approve the case of Mr. Rogers; is there any news on that front?”

Knowing that lied ahead, Tony replied with a calm smile. “They dropped the cases, I learned today.” Causing a commotion, Tony went on. “Mr. Rogers didn’t break the law and as far as we know, is not breaking the law either. He’s not a wanted man, so to speak.”

“But isn’t he _wanted_ , either? Is he still refusing to sign the Accords?”

“I believe so, yes. We’ve not had any conversation since. As I repeated, Mr. Rogers and his friends are not wanted for any law breakings, they’ve been pardoned. They are still citizens of the United States and can legally roam around the country. But they cannot use their powers _or_ talents anymore, which would break the treaties.”

While everyone was taking notes, some girl on the front raised her hand with enthusiasm. An intern, maybe. “If they use their powers or talents on UN soil, what’s going to happen?”

Sighing, Tony replied the obvious. “Only signed members of the Avengers can use their powers under approved limitations for listed situations.”

“Meaning?”

“They’ll get arrested.”


	3. Chapter 3

“Well, the secret is out. Now what?”

His girl Friday was ready. “Your schedule is free, sir. Your car is also ready; would you wish me to wake it up for your arrival?”

“I hope you can stay for a little longer, Mr. Stark.”

Turning his head to the voice, Tony smiled a little. “Isn’t that the King himself?”

Shaking his head, T’Challa nodded. “How are you? I’ve been following the meetings via satellite and haven’t seen you in person. I hope your injuries are healed by now?”

Nodding, Tony answered with a smile. “Only my honor, it’s still purple all over. I couldn’t thank you for getting me out of that shit hole, _did_ _I_ thank you?”

“You mumbled some gratitudes, yes. I’m glad you are well. And I am sorry that you are steering this ship by yourself. It wouldn’t be wise for my situation to stand by you. I only want you to know that in my heart, I’m supporting you and your cause.” 

Not knowing what to say to that, Tony replied with a ‘huh’. “You are as intense as I remember. Out of the suit too, it seems.” 

Smiling a little, T’Challa didn’t answer to that. 

“Well, thank you anyway. And have a nice trip to Wakanda. I remember going there once as a kid, you know?”

“To steal our vibranium, I guess?”

Snorting, Tony scratched his nape and looked at him. “It wasn’t me, I was a kid. But I’m not gonna say that I didn’t use that.”

“I hope you don’t use the same methods as your ancestors did. I’m available 24/7 to formal requests.” 

Smiling to the taller man, Tony nodded. “Will do. Maybe I can visit you, formally. I’d like to see those forests again.”

Face clouded, T’Challa answered with a vague ‘ _Maybe you shouldn’t’._

“Why? I promise I won’t blow up your palace?”

“It’s not that. Can I trust your word that you can keep a secret, if I told you?”

His neck tingling, Tony answered with honesty. “I have secrets that can change the world in an hour, but I keep them. If you’re not hurting anyone, I’ll try.”

That must have been enough, because T’Challa nodded and told him his secret. 

*

“What?”

T’Challa raised his hands and told him to stay calm.

“I am calm! What do you mean he is there in your facility? You have signed the Accords, they’d _end you_ if they knew!”

“But they don’t. Will they know, Mr. Stark?”

Letting out a big breath, Tony shook his head. 

“Good. Thank you. I thought someone else with the same power I have should have known that we have him. My team is faithful to me, they’d end their lives rather than outing me, or him.”

Thinking a mile per second, Tony asked what was he _doing_ with him. “You were trying to kill the guy, now you’re bonding with him?” He didn’t ask what Steve was doing, he could imagine. 

Shaking his head, T’Challa answered. “I’m not bonding with him, no one is. He decided that it was better for him and everyone else if he went under another cryo segment. Let the others keep looking for him, he is safe and secure.”

“And sleeping.”

Nodding, T’Challa repeated. “And sleeping.”

*

Tony didn’t know why he didn’t tell anyone. 

Every member of the UN, all intelligence agencies, every media boss was after Barnes and Tony _knew_ where he was. One jet was all it’d take. He didn’t even need a jet, he could suit up, be there in 2 hours and blast the cryo-tube. Easy. 

He couldn’t do it and it was making him _angry_. It felt just like the second when Steve was sitting on top of him and looking at Tony with his shield high in his hands. 

He couldn’t do it either.


	4. Chapter 4

“It doesn’t make them free people. They’re still hunted, UN is worried that if they can’t recruit Rogers, someone else will.”

Laughing, Tony couldn’t help it. “They think he’ll play for the other side? I’d like to see that.” 

“It’s always a possibility, Tony. If you’d have asked Steve, he’d laugh too when they told him they were scared of Barnes to change teams.” Rhodey pointed out. 

Tony told him he got that but he was still not buying it. “Steve wouldn’t change teams. He defied _us_ to not change his team, Rhodey. He’ll keep it low, he’ll be invisible. I’m sure even though he doesn’t know how we could track him, someone else by his side would explain it to him. Natasha, probably. If she’s with him, they can’t find Steve.”

“Do you think she is?”

“Well, she sold us out to save her BFF, so yeah.” 

Murmuring a ‘ _BFF’_ to himself, Rhodey turned to his tablet, leaving Tony to his own thoughts. 

*

He flew to Wakanda solely to see Barnes’ cryo-tube. Not to see the man himself, not to validate that he was indeed sleeping or anything else. He just wanted to see the tube and he wanted to see the reports.

It was for science. 

*

“Hello, Mr. Stark. I’ve been told that you wanted to see Barnes.”

Turning from the magnificent view, he nodded. “I’m curious. If he wanted to go under, he should be six feet under, scientifically. I can provide that.”

“I’m sure you can. Actually I’ve also been told that your cryo-management is far superior than any other country. Is it your hobby? We all have one.”

“Nope. It was dad’s, though. He ordered his team to be prepared for the time when Cap would be found. The team took the order very seriously, they never stopped. So yeah, we’re good. Not that I’m interested in the part, I don’t like cold. But I understand the machines.”

And Barnes was a machine, at least mentally. 

“Barnes is not a machine, Stark. He is a person. A _victim_. If you don’t share the opinion, I’ll ask you to leave.” T’Challa replied with such calmness that Tony felt kind of safe for a moment. Like someone could have his back if it went there. 

Like how he felt once, back then. 

*

“I am trusting you with this, tell me you understand what it means.” 

Before closed doors, Tony nodded. “I won’t kill him.”

“Remember that.” And the doors were open. 

Stepping inside, Tony felt better when he saw the clinic. Science was a universal language, settling him down whenever things got heavy. At least _that_ didn’t change. 

“Here he is.”

The man didn’t look like he could kill him. Or _anyone_ , for that matter. The anger and resolution was gone from his face, he almost looked serene. 

“This floor has been assigned to him and his well-being. This team is working only for him, reporting directly to me. And now notifying you as well.”

“Not Steve?” He didn’t mean to ask but he asked it anyway. “Don’t you notify him?”

T’Challa looked calm. Either he was wearing the mask very good or he found his Zen somewhere around. “We have agreed on not having any type of communication for the time being. He doesn’t want anyone linking him back to here, neither do I. I promised to notify him if something drastic happened and it hasn’t so far.” 

Frowning, Tony asked if he wasn’t around. He didn’t think Steve would _go_.

“He’s not here, no. None of his friends are. I offered them sanctuary after they’ve made their escapes but they declined.”

“Where _is_ he, then? Everyone’s been looking for him, I thought he was here-“ Raising a brow, T’Challa stopped him. 

“You didn’t look?”

“No. Tell me at least Nat’s with him, Steve doesn’t know the world like we do.” He stopped because T’Challa was looking at him funnily. “What?”

“I thought you’d be after him. Like the others. What’s changed?”

“Nothing’s changed. I just don’t like him, I don’t want him _dead_. The others do, though. And _this_ _one_ too, they especially want to kill this one. Are you protecting him? Is he safe?”

Instead of replying, T’Challa laughed a little and motioned for him to follow. 

There was a first for everything.


	5. Chapter 5

“I might hire your team for my tower too, this is impressive.” 

Smiling a little smile, T’Challa nodded his thanks. 

“I might send you some help, yeah. My team hadn’t have any toys to play with for a while and they might need some friends. It’d be a cultural bonding.”

“Of course it would. Although no one can know this, Mr. Stark. I promised Captain on my honor that I’d protect his friend. I intend to keep that promise.” 

When Tony didn’t say something for a while, they sat in silence. After a while though, Tony replied with a soft murmur. “I don’t want to kill him.” 

“I’m glad to hear that.”

“I don’t know if I _could_ kill him, that day. I didn’t actively kill anyone except in that desert and that was for _saving_ myself. I didn’t make the decision to _kill_ someone in cold blood. Yet, maybe I could. That day. _Maybe I could_ , I don’t know.”

“Rogers prevented you from killing him though. Do you think he didn’t want you to kill someone or do you think that he just protected his friend?”

Laughing softly, Tony said he didn’t know what was what anymore. “If it was a year ago, I’d say he was protecting me. Like a friend, like a team member. But that day it was different. He was so determined to do anything to protect the guy.”

“Yet he didn’t kill you.” When Tony turned his gaze to him, T’Challa nodded. “As opposed to you, he killed people. He knows how to kill and he _could_ have killed you.”

Tony let out a breath. 

“But he didn’t, it must mean something. Maybe not what you are seeking for, but it must have a meaning. I wouldn’t say all hope was lost, when it came to this. Our Captain knows the value of friendship and we still didn’t hear his side of the story.” 

“What’s there is to tell? His buddy is alive and we’re the bad guys trying to separate them.”

“Are we?”

Tony didn’t know anymore. 

*

“Did you know about the escape from The Raft?” T’Challa asked with curiosity and Tony didn’t have the heart to lie. 

“Yeah. Not exactly but I got notified beforehand.”

“By Rogers, I assume?” 

When Tony looked at him T’Challa explained that Rogers asked for him to deliver a package to the Avengers Compound by a trusted hand. 

“It came with _FedEx_.” 

“International waters were handled by my crew. Did you help them?”

Saying ‘ _nope’_ with a pop, Tony left a smear of his fingertips on the glass while walking. “I just didn’t block them.”

“Which counts as a blessing, I think. Rogers was worried you wouldn’t let them pass.” 

Dismissing the little hurt, Tony changed the topic to ask who was living in those rooms. “It looks like left behind.” 

“Rogers and his Soldier were staying in this floor. I wanted them to be easily accessible for security reasons and they obliged.” 

It had one bed. 

*


	6. Chapter 6

Steve, on the other hand, _of course_ couldn’t keep a low profile. 

“Someone whose identity is not known saved those kids with a very sophisticated touch.” The agent showed Tony. He didn’t know her name but she looked professional in a way that reminded him of Hill. “He has brown hair and loose clothes but his athleticism calls for doubt.”

Of course it was Steve, no one could devote themselves into a cartwheel like that in order to save some kids. 

“Did Ross send someone? Don’t tell me you lost him. Did you lose him? That’s impressive, he was in broad daylight.” Tony smiled. 

“He is probably with Agent Romanoff though we’re not sure. Secretary Ross would like you to run your tracking and logistics, if possible. All data will be served, of course.” 

Of course. 

*

“Your AI Friday has notified me that you’ve been running some new codes into old ones?” Vision’s voice always shook him a little. Especially in his workshop. “Are you trying to rebuild Jarvis?” 

Rolling his eyes, Tony asked back. “Trying?”

“Apologies. Are you rebuilding Jarvis?” He seemed _concerned_. “I haven’t decided what to- _feel_ about this development.”

Sighing, Tony explained. It was the guy’s basic code, after all. “I’m gonna need some stealth and I need someone who knows my mind _and_ my systems. Jarvis was like my other half, I’m not saying that Ultron was the other half, no-you’re not a part of me either but _that Jarvis_ , the old one-that one was-“ Tony stopped himself but Vision _was_ a part of Jarvis.

“He was your friend.”

Nodding, Tony looked at him. “And I need him to make this work again. Friday is cool too but she’s not the same-the history logs are not loaded into her system. It’s a new personal assistant and they’re always hard to crack.”

Smiling a sad smile, Vision asked how he could help. “This might be the last time, after all.” 

“I still need Vision, come on. _They_ need you-“ Tony tried. It wasn’t like he was throwing him away, except he was. 

“No, I understand. My services are to humanity while his was to you. And I shall say that my ‘ _history logs’_ do recall that I enjoyed our time together, just as much as you did. Maybe deep down, a part of me misses you as well.” He looked stricken. “It may be labeled as reincarnation, I think. And you have the power, I understand.”

Tony couldn’t say a word. If only Friday didn’t snitch on him. “I need my own secret agent and Jarvis will be enough but I need an ally too, with a _body_. If you’re up for it?”

He was. 

*

“That’s Mr. Rogers.” Vision surmised. 

“Yeah, I know. I didn’t start to track him though, can you begin? I need his exact location, when and where.” Tony bit his lip in concentration. Taking the dust off of his old codes were hard work, it seemed. And turning the AI up again without letting him escape with an Ultron mind was also exhausting. 

“Are you going to inform Secretary Ross?” Vision asked from his seat. ‘ _Command Seat’_ Steve dubbed that chair. For some reason it reminded him of Captain Kirk. Tony didn’t have any idea who fed him Star Trek but he didn’t argue even though he wasn’t the blond one. 

“Secretary wants you to track Mr. Rogers if i’m not wrong. And you’re asking me to find them.” Vision went on. Tony had second thoughts about turning Jarvis on. Friday knew when to go silent, at least. 

“I’m not going to report, I just want to know.”

“And dissuade, I believe?”

Snorting, Tony didn’t answer that.


	7. Chapter 7

When summer came around, so did Peter Parker. 

“This place is huge! Are you sure I can hang around? I mean not to make you cancel it of course but I’m just asking- _is that a robot_?” And off he went. 

After returning to his tower, Tony got busy like he didn’t expect to get. Tower needed maintenance, some of his tech companies still had their annual reports for him to check up on, he had to approve some new models and all of a sudden he was spending his days with a schedule again. 

Then came Parker. 

“You need someone to cheer you up and he needs an internship, it’s a win win.” Pepper told him. She solely came to visit him for that. Or so she said. 

“Rhodey is worried about you, Tony. So am I.” 

Tony bit his reaction then accepted whatever it was she came to offer. 

It was Parker. 

“This is so exciting! I mean, I used all the tech you’ve sent me and I’m getting better at it but seeing it first hand is still amazing-your workshop is made of _legends_ , Mr. Stark!”

Smiling a little, Tony let the kid enter and watched the wonder dawn on his face. _That_ was the response his personal workshop should get rather than Steve’s blank apprehension. 

“Oh, this is _amazing!”_

Yes, it was. 

Once. 

*

“So what, he is stalking Captain America?” 

Peter asked with some munching noise. Tony frowned and went on sneaking. Vision was with him, it seemed.

“Stalking is not an exact equivalent. Mr. Stark is ordered to find Mr. Rogers but it is I who finds him, rather than Mr. Stark.”

“So Mr. Stark can tell them that he doesn’t know where Cap is?”

“Exactly. You are indeed a bright young person, Mr. Parker.”

“Peter, please. Why aren’t you calling him Cap like everyone does though?” 

The question was full with curiosity but Tony was wondering if it hurt Vision. If he could get hurt, emotionally. 

“Mr. Rogers has resigned from the title, I’ve been informed.”

“ _What!?”_

Tony left.

*

“Anything? Really?” There was the wonder Tony loved hearing in the kid’s voice. 

“Yes kid, anything. It’s not like everyday is your birthday. Come on, ask for it.” Tony could see he was getting excited. He liked making the kid happy, not that he was a good person but he needed to do some _good_ rather than sitting on his ass like Ross wanted. 

_‘I told you it would come down to this.’_ Cap would say, if he’d see him. _‘I told you they wouldn’t let you do as you please, Tony.’_  
  
“Can we go to Spain?” Kid looked like he was readying himself to hear a no but Tony was a man of his word. 

“Yeah kid, we can go to Spain. Where do you want to go?”

Later, he’d find the footage of the exact moment and realize _that_ was the waythe kid looked like when he was hiding something for real. 

*

“You have nearly an unlimited budget for this trip and you want to _walk through the_ _streets_? Where did your aunt do you wrong, kid?”

Kid was walking faster and faster like he did every time he was getting excited. Tony realized that he’d get faster at everything when he got happy, which was most of the time, so Tony had to learn to adapt. It was good in a way that it didn’t let Tony think. 

“Here! Can we have some coffee from there? My friend told me that it had the best espresso, my treat Mr. Stark!” 

Hushing the kid, Tony looked at the coffee place and nodded his approval. Sitting down for a few minutes would do him good. Spain had a lot of sun exposure he realized. Funny all his visits here had been to conference rooms. 

“Where did your friend even find this place? It’s _rural_ Spain, not even a tourist attraction-okay I got my answer, your friend is poor, yes? Or a local? Are you one of those kids who travels to unknown houses, Parker?”

Laughing, the kid didn’t answer. He was getting bratty. Brattier. Parker was lucky because their waiter has arrived at that second to take their order but Tony couldn’t pick what he was about to drink for it was _Steve_ next to their table looking at him with a notepad in his hand.


	8. Chapter 8

Even though Tony was angry at the kid, he was also grateful because he was talking. At least _someone_ was talking.

“It’s you! I mean of course it’s you but it’s really you! You’re here and we found you!”

‘They’ did not. And he must have shown what he was thinking because the kid stopped talking after that. 

It wasn’t important though because Steve was looking at him. Still. Which didn’t matter because Tony wouldn’t be the first to give up. He could wait for an eternity, for all he cared. 

“Hey! Tourists! Do! Do!” Someone yelled from the inside. He seemed to yell at Rogers.

“I think he wants you to take our orders.” Parker offered. “Not that we’re going to order you anything but-

“Yes, we do.” Tony started. 

“We do?”

“Yes. I want a big cup of betrayal with a shot of running away. What do you want, kid? Crushed dreams of your ideals? Your hero not being the hero you actually thought?”

Rogers looked like he was in pain but Tony decided he wouldn’t care. Parker though, he must have had some guts in him because he intervened. 

“I’d like a latte, please. And he wants black coffee, no sugar. And two bottles of water, please?”

Rogers must have realized that was all he would get so he nodded and went inside. Which left Parker alone with him. 

“What were you _thinking_ , kid? That we’d hug it out?”

Murmuring a ‘that would have been a good start’, Parker took a breath and explained. “It’s not about you or him, Mr. Stark. It’s about the world needing you both-and at the same team.” 

“Not gonna happen. You were there, you know what happened-“ Tony offered but Parker was smart. 

“No, I don’t know what happened. You know Barnes is innocent so the airport fight is not valid anymore. But you guys are still not talking and you freeze whenever his name comes up-he’s coming back.” 

At least he was helpful.

*

“Latte and black coffee. Two bottles of water with biscuits.”

Tony didn’t say a word and Parker got a hold of the biscuits. While he was munching, he looked at from one of them to another which made Tony nervous and he asked Rogers that if he would wait for them literally. 

“We can sit by ourselves. You can go. Like you did before, how poetic.”

“Tony-“ but no, he was not having it. Standing up, he told as such. 

“No. I’m not doing this. I came here to travel and I’m going to travel. _Away_ from here. Kid?”

Parker was getting the other biscuits and when Tony left, he ran after him.

“We didn’t pay!”

*

“We really didn’t pay. And those coffees were expensive, Mr. Stark.”

Tony let out a breath and told him that they could sue if they wanted. “Or you can go back and hang with your buddy.”

“He is not my buddy! And for the record, my hero has not let me down, _ever_. Don’t say that again.”

Frowning, Tony looked at him for a second and when he got what the kid was talking about, he couldn’t stop feeling a little warmer. 

“That’s not getting you off the hook, though.”

Laughing, he nodded. “Fair enough. I only thought if you two had a chance to talk-“ he stopped when Tony shook his head ‘ _no’_. “I get that now. I’m sorry, Mr. Stark.”

“It’s okay kid. Just don’t do it again. I’m amazed how you covered your intentions, though. Good work.” 

That happy smile always cheered Tony inside and that was a good thing because when Tony saw that Steve was running towards them, he swallowed. 


	9. Chapter 9

“Tony, please. Can’t we just talk?” 

Steve was always a force of nature but under the sun, he was magnificent. He seemed to get a tan, his hair nearly was back to blond again but he looked sad. 

Very, very sad. 

Sighing, Tony showed him some random street but Steve didn’t say a word and he went there. After him, Tony turned to Parker but the kid was already sitting on a bench, getting his tablet out. 

*

“I don’t have much time, Rogers. Say your piece and we can part our ways again.”

Not surprisingly, Steve started with a ‘sorry’ but Tony had heard that on repeat so it didn’t have any impact. 

“Yes, so you’ve said. How’s your boyfriend?”

“My boyf-he is not my boyfriend, Tony. He’s only my friend. I just wanted him safe, why don’t you understand this? He is not the killer they painted him to be and I can’t let them have him.”

“So he didn’t kill my parents? Because it didn’t seem that way, Rogers.”

The more Tony got to look at him, the more he noticed. Steve was always the epitome of health and glory but now he had bags under his eyes, his shoulders were hunched and his clothes didn’t look the pristine army way he always sought after. 

“I’m not denying he didn’t kill your parents, Tony. He doesn’t, either. It’s just the means; it wasn’t him. He was someone else’s arm and _they_ pulled the trigger. You’re a builder, you _know_ how robots work-“ he stopped himself and Tony waited for the rest. 

Yes, he knew how robots worked. And he knew it wasn’t exactly Barnes. But it was exactly _Steve_ who hid this from him. 

“We’re not fighting about Bucky, are we?”

When Tony didn’t answer, Steve looked more… _hollow_. 

“I can’t do anything to fix the decision I’ve made, I know that. But you should know that as much as I was a coward, I also wanted you safe from this. You didn’t need people digging through this again, no one should go through that again-“

“But it wasn’t your place to decide, was it?”

Sad, sad. 

“No, it wasn’t. I get that now. You never gave me the permission. I was never that close to you; to make decisions on your behalf.”

Laughing a little, Tony turned away from him; he couldn’t not. 

“I’m sorry Tony. Accords and Bucky aside, I’m sad that what we had is now broken; if we ever had anything at all, of course.”

When Tony looked at him again, Steve was already looking at him. “I saw you as a friend too, even though you don’t believe me. This all happened because I saw you as my friend too; don’t you think I couldn’t rip you apart? Or let Bucky kill you in defense?”

So they were talking about it. 

“You thought of killing me, don’t deny it. At the last second, you looked into my eyes and you were going to kill me Rogers-“ when he flinched again, Tony understood. 

He was calling him Rogers again. 

“You were going to kill me. But you knew if you did, the world would go after you. So you didn’t-“ 

“ _That’s_ what you think? You really believe that, Tony? That I didn’t kill you for political reasons? Or for tactic? That I’d kill you if you were not a Stark? Please say you don’t really believe that.”

When he kept his silence, Tony saw how words could hurt someone just as his blasters.

“Then it’s confirmed that we didn’t have something to break, did we? It was good seeing you, I’m glad you’re well. Good luck with everything Tony, and I mean it.”

Tony knew that but he refused to talk. Then he refused to stop him. Refused to walk after him. 

He refused to feel hurt too but he couldn’t manage that one. 


	10. Chapter 10

When he got back to the square, Steve was talking with Peter and when Peter saw him, he waved for Tony to come near. 

“Mr. Stark, Cap was explaining what they were up to-“ Tony stopped him. 

“I don’t want to know. Come on, kid.” He started to walk to the other direction but Parker was not following. 

“Wait, _what_? Are we still not talking? Mr. Stark!”

Tony didn’t wait for him. 

*

Parker found him though. 

“He sent coffee for you.”

It was still warm. 

“They’re not together, you know.”

He didn’t ask who the kid was talking about. 

“All of them are in different countries, just in case. He didn’t give me the location of Barnes, though. If you’re curious.”

He wasn’t.

“I told him we were leaving tonight and we wouldn’t rat out his location. Are we going to rat out his location? Mr. Stark?”

He knew he wasn’t but he didn’t say anything. When he took a sip from the coffee though, he noticed a hand written note inside the sleeve. 

He refused to look at it. 

*

He held off for two hours and he counted it as a victory. 

‘ _Call me._ ’ It said. _‘I have one other thing left for me to say to you.’_

When Tony snorted Parker asked what was it but Tony shook his head and asked him to check the train hours. He wanted to get away from that place. 

He called, though. He needed to be able to say he did everything. 

*

“Tony.” Steve answered on the first ring. 

“My caller id is turned off.” Tony replied but Steve was ready. 

“I gave the number only to you. Thanks for calling.”

Looking for Parker checking out the schedule, Tony mumbled a ‘yeah.’ “What’s it you wanted to say, Rogers?”

After little bit of a silence, Tony heard Steve taking a breath in and let it out. 

“Tony, I-“ another breath, “you clearly showed me what you are thinking of me but in case this would be the last time we can talk, I wanted the air to be cleared, _all of it.”_ Tony frowned but didn’t say anything. “When I arrived at New York and met you we started badly, I know that. But after that I thought we were healing. I thought I was finding another friend in this age where it’s very, _very_ scary, actually.”

He knew. Most of it was his work, after all. 

“I just wanted to thank you, I guess. And I’m being selfish again, I know, but I had to say it, just in case.”

“You are repeating it over and over, what do you think is going to happen, Rogers?” 

Silence. 

“What’s going on? What do you know that I don’t know?” 

“They’re after me, Tony.”

“Of course they are, you knew that. Technically I’m after you too.” Tony replied. If only Ross knew.

“They’re after me because I’m not joining their ranks. And they don’t want me -or the others- to join other side either. So, as a precaution, I’m now being hunted.”

Snorting, Tony replied with a ‘ _no’_. “They wouldn’t dare hurting you; they haven’t replicated your serum yet. You have your own insurance in your blood.”

“Blood, yes. I don’t have to be awake, do I?”

Feeling cold, Tony looked out for Peter. 

Who wasn’t there anymore. 


	11. Chapter 11

“What do you mean you’ve lost him?”

“He’s not here Rogers. I’m hanging up.” Tony crossed the street to get to the entrance of the small train station. It was only two elderly in there and the officer. 

“Hi.” He smiled his winning smile. “Did you see my nephew? Do you speak English? A kid, this height-“ when someone pulled his arm, Tony reacted with his fist but it was Steve who caught it. 

“Come on.”

*

“I can warn the Embassy and I can call people up, you know-“ Tony was following him into an old apartment. “We’re wasting our time here.” Steve opened up a door and after checking inside out, let him in. 

“Or not. When did you have time to steal from me, Rogers?” 

It was his tech, all around. Computers, tablets, phones and mics. 

“I didn’t steal them.” Steve replied while checking the windows. “London Stark Shop gave them to me.” 

Sitting down, Tony murmured that he’d get them fired but Steve closed the curtains again and told him that he had his own account, it wasn’t their fault. 

“It seems you’ve granted us worldwide access at some point. All Avengers could buy tech from your shops for free and I used it.”

Not saying anything to that, Tony connected his phone to Steve’s computer and granted himself master access. ‘ _Hello, sir.’_ Friday told him as she was the formal representative of his work now. 

“Hello darling, give me the location sweep, could you?” Tony replied while locating his home controls.

“I didn’t know mine could talk.” Steve appeared over his shoulder. “She didn’t talk with me, not a word.” 

“Of course she wouldn’t, unless I gave permission. Standard issues are not connected to home base but all of them are available to connect, if I wish. Which makes every Stark piece mine; I can use all of them.”

Sitting down next to him, Steve asked if he could track him. “The boy at London told me that your tech was untraceable. Natasha doesn’t believe that but told me that yours was the most reliable.” 

“It is. Everyone’s traceable though, don’t believe what ads say. Alright, here are the latest speed tickets around the area. I was looking the other way for a few _minutes_ , they had to be faster than the limit. Friday, run the plates for me.” 

‘Of course, sir. Would you like NYC reports, as well? My systems have been running the whole time for the scans you’ve requested.’ 

“Not now, dear. Rogers, coffee.” Tony asked but it was out of habit. Whenever they sat together for something to work on, Tony asked for fresh coffee and Steve always delivered.

When he turned to take it back though, Steve was already getting up and going to kitchen which made Tony feel bad. It felt like using someone’s crush in order to get your homework done. 

‘ _I saw you as my friend._ ’ He had said. Tony knew it was a late reply to his ‘ _so was I’_. 

“Here.” Steve offered the coffee and since it would be rude to not take it, Tony accepted the hot mug. 

When Steve sat down next to him though, Tony was glad that he had something to keep his mouth busy. 


	12. Chapter 12

“Yes, smart kid. Here he is.” Tony pointed out when suddenly a little spider dot appeared on the map in front of them. “He turned on his WebGPS. Let’s go.” 

Following him, Steve told him he didn’t know what that WebGPS meant but Tony didn’t explain. “His dot is a spider, are you locating all of us, Tony? Still?”

Opening the door, Tony rolled his eyes and ordered Friday to send the location to his phone. 

_‘On it, Sir. Also, there’s a car waiting for you._ ’ She replied. 

“A car? How did you manage that, darling?” Tony replied while getting to street but she replied with ‘ _money’_ , which was obvious. 

After they got into cab and Tony rattled the address, it was silence again. 

Tony realized while watching the streets pass by that they never got quiet after Sokovia. Whenever they had the time, they chatted about the new team or the new kids or the potential recruits. His inventions. Steve’s art. Him offering an art gallery. Laughing, sometimes quietly, sometimes with heart. 

But never, ever awkward. 

It burned his heart that they were awkward now. Even when they met the first time, they were flawless. Magnetic, but flawless. 

“You have charcoal.” Steve muttered and pointed the side of Tony’s hand. “It must have been on the table when I last drew. Here.” Steve moved to offer something from his jean pocket but Tony shook his head and told him it wasn’t important. 

“I get smeared a lot too, in case you forgot.” 

Steve told him he didn’t but he added that maybe Tony wouldn’t want anything of his, so yeah.

Sending him a look, Tony didn’t reply to that but Steve seemed genuine so he sighed. 

“It’s okay, Rogers. It’s not that I suddenly want you to erase yourself from existence. Let’s get the kid and we’ll move on, okay?”

Move on where, he didn’t know either. 

*  
_  
_“Here it is. Do you have your armor? Of course you have, _okay_. Are you going to call it?”

“No, let’s see what we’ve got first. For all I know he saw a squirrel and went after it.”

Smiling a little, Steve opened the door and went inside. Tony noticed that he was putting himself first into opening doors but he didn’t comment on that. 

After two floors Steve tried the door of the apartment and when it wasn’t locked, they shared a look. ‘ _Wait for a second’_ , Steve said and Tony nodded him to enter. 

He waited for 40 seconds when he heard the first crash and Tony let himself in. 

Steve was throwing someone off his shoulder and when he saw that some other guy was aiming Steve with a gun, Tony activated his watch to shock the guy. Their opponents dropped at the same time and when Steve turned to him, Tony pointed the closed door of the other room. 

Steve tried that with reluctance but when it was locked, he shouldered it with purpose.

“ _Mr. Stark!”_

*

“And then- _and then_ , he tried to knock me down but I didn’t let him win!” Parker explained while his hands were flying all over Steve’s room.

Steve handed Tony a glass and when Tony raised his brow, he nodded. 

“I knew you’d come for me, Mr. Stark! And with Cap, that’s awesome! What’s this?”

“Water with mild sedative-you’re all over, kid. Yes, here we go-“ they righted the kid together and when Steve moved to carry him, Tony let him. 

After putting him into bed, Steve walked towards the door but when he saw Tony was still near Parker, he asked a cautious ‘ _Tony_?’. 

“He could’ve been killed.”

Walking there, Steve murmured a ‘ _he is okay though, they only wanted him for ransom, they were excited to see him and didn’t plan it through’_. 

“Not today. Yeah of course, today could be it too but I mean _back then_. At the airport. Someone could have killed him.”

Sighing, Steve asked him if he was serious. 

“We could see he was a kid, Tony. No one harmed him, we even had _fun_ with him, I liked the kid. He has a mouth on him and Sam still laughs about that. He told me that the kid never stopped _talking_.”

Tony smiled a little to that and watching the sleeping kid, he nodded. “Yeah, he talks a bit. Reminds me of myself, at his age.”

“You still talk Tony, that didn’t change.” 

His voice was warm but Tony didn’t want warm so he cut it short. “Yeah, not anymore though. I’ll arrange my jet and when he wakes up, we’ll be out of here.” 

He could hear that Steve was closing the kid’s door after him and calling his name. “You can stay here, if you want. For a few days, if you need it.”

Refusing, Tony told him he had places to be. “I’m not on a holiday, Rogers. I’m still on a payroll and DC wants me back.”

Reminding him their difference was the trick he needed because Steve nodded his understanding and went to the kitchen.


	13. Chapter 13

While they were waiting for Peter to wake up, they stayed in their respective areas. Tony could hear Steve was doing something in the kitchen but he didn’t go there. 

Instead, he investigated. 

Steve didn’t have many personal belongings and he was ready to go at a moment’s notice, it was obvious. The apartment was either someone else’s or was rented with stuff. 

Other than necessities, Tony found only some notebooks and he opened them even though he knew they were personal. Rogers lost the personal card when he ventured into _his_ files and didn’t tell him. 

They were drawings, just like he predicted. They weren’t juicy stuff, either. 

New York, Avengers Tower, some café, Peggy, Peggy next to Natasha, some more Peggy, probably memories- Tony turned to sit down and looked at the rest of it, page by page. 

A neighborhood at Queens, probably his. Some kids, maybe his friends. A boy with crooked teeth, smiling. The same boy with ice cream, the same boy with more years on him. 

Barnes.

Army, Peggy, some commander he didn’t know, the commander he _did_ know, Stark Lab, his father. 

Peggy again, pages of her. Sighing, Tony couldn’t find it in himself to laugh at Steve’s obvious crush. He guessed he couldn’t open up to her, which seemed understandable. Agent Carter _was_ a force to behold. 

Barnes again, smiling to Steve, having fun with their commandoes. Memories page after page. Like an old man’s struggle. 

When he finished the first notebook, Tony silently took his phone and started to scan the pages for Steve to have a back up, even though he wouldn’t let Steve know that he was making him one. 

Just in case. 

*

The second notebook was featuring them. 

There were some Peggy and Barnes too, just like Avengers were featured in the other notebook but it wasn’t the theme. Whereas the other one was the past, that one was the present. 

Whereas the other one featured Peggy and Barnes, that one was full with him and Natasha. 

The other Avengers were there too, just like his father and The Howling Commandoes were in the other one but the main people were Tony and Natasha. 

Tony working in his shop, Tony sleeping at his shop, Tony having fun with his robots. 

Avengers in a pile, watching some movie. Clint hanging from the ceiling with his rope training, Natasha in the kitchen, making some pancakes- _Tony didn’t see that happening, what_ \- Thor sitting on the roof watching the skyline by himself. 

That notebook had imaginary scenes too, like the other one. Natasha swinging the shield at some opponent, all in Captain America gear. Bruce in Hulk form, having fun at a kid park, swinging. 

Tony, sleeping in his bed. No, _in Steve’s bed_. 

Quickly taking a picture, Tony searched his memory if he _ever_ slept in Steve’s bed. The bad thing was he wasn’t sure; he was prone to sleep in the closest room he could find if he had a binge.

“Dinner’s ready.”

Startled, Tony turned to him but he couldn’t hide what he was doing even if he tried. 

“Hey.”

Looking at him and the notebook, Steve replied with ‘ _you’ve found them.’_ But it was unnecessary because they weren’t exactly hidden. Which was Tony’s reply.

“You didn’t have to look at them, though.”

“ _You_ did. At least I’m not hiding the fact that I did look into your past.”

Sighing, Steve didn’t say a word and started tidying up the table. Tony could see his eyes peeked a look at the notebook to see which page it was left open and Tony was sure that was some blush on Cap’s cheekbones.

“When did this happen? And don’t you dare lying to me again, Rogers.” 

“It didn’t happen. Can I have them back?”

Tony wanted to say no but he obliged and handed the notebooks over. 

“What do you mean it didn’t happen?”

“I was practicing small frames in sleeping poses, yours was the first I practiced. Are you hungry?”

Shaking his head no, Tony replied with an ‘ _I’m not small_ ’ but Steve didn’t say anything.

“ _I’m not._ You’re big, we don’t all have our own serums, Rogers.”

“Yes, I know. What I have all came from a bottle, remember?”

In the past, Tony loved that Steve could play his game just as Tony could but in that instance, he was irritated. 

“And your boyfriend murdered your bottle maker, remember?”

Tony knew he was pushing it but when Steve slapped his notebook to the table, he flinched. 

“Enough, Tony.”


	14. Chapter 14

“You are punishing me for something I didn’t do, I wasn’t even awake back then!”

Tony was about to argue that it didn’t matter but Steve was having none of it. 

“Yes, Bucky killed your parents! Yes, he did terrible, terrible things! He is disgusted with himself, he is blaming _himself_ rather than Hydra and all the while I’m trying to explain him that it wasn’t his fault, it wasn’t him and it wasn’t in his power, there’s you in front of me!”

“Me? What did you expect, Rogers?”

“To be yourself! You are not the ordinary citizen, Tony! _You know these things!_ You know people can be controlled, you saw it with your own eyes with Loki! I can’t prove to you that it wasn’t Bucky himself then but you should at least have some doubts about it!”

Tony tried to explain him that he _understood_ , that he _knew_ but Steve was on a roll.

“I’m sorry for what happened. I’m _devastated_. When I first saw the footage, I saw my _friend_ getting killed, do you realize that Tony? They weren’t strangers to me. It wasn’t a random footage of Winter Soldier. I had three valuable people in my life and one of them killed the other, did you even wonder how I İ >felt when you had time to think?”

When Tony didn’t answer, he sighed. “I had no other people in my life and I saw my best friend kill my other friend. I couldn’t show you, I _wouldn’t_. I’m sorry for the pain I caused you but it wasn’t solely to protect Bucky. It was also to protect you. You don’t get it or you don’t forgive me but what’s done is done. Either throw me away from your life or _please_ , stop torturing me.”

Swallowing, Tony waited for it to continue but when Steve got silent, he took a breath. 

“I know he wasn’t himself. I read some files even _you_ didn’t see. I read them all; it wasn’t him, Steve. If he wants proof, I have it. My legal team is working _for_ him, not against him. I know it wasn’t really him, it was never the question.”

Steve was looking at him with such blue eyes that Tony _had_ _to_ speak. 

“Someone pulled all that stuff on us because _you_ didn’t tell me. People died, we got hurt, your pal got hunted. If you could just _tell_ _me_ , I’d heard it from you. I’d heard it from you in a controlled environment, when we were _alone_. Where I could react, where I could _think_. Where you’d be my _friend_ , sharing my pain. Not hiding it from me to be revealed in front of an enemy watching us getting drifted apart.”

When Steve sighed, Tony took a step and went on.

“I trusted you. With my six and all other numbers. I _gave you access_ to my inner sanctuaries, I took a leap of faith with you, even though I didn’t like my old man. And I thought we were on the same page, until that moment. You crushed me Rogers-“ when Steve suddenly got in front of him, Tony stopped.

“No. _No,_ you called me Steve again.” 

Frowning, Tony asked. “Did I?”

“Yes. Make up your mind, Tony. I can deal with regaining your trust but don’t be vicious.”

Smiling a little, Tony asked why. “My father was vicious. And you liked him. Maybe it’s in our blood.” 

He must have been giving some warmth because Steve took a chance and fixing Tony’s askew shirt collar, murmured a ‘ _nah’_. “You’re not cruel. Exhausting, yes. But not cruel.” 

“And to think that we nearly made up.” 

“Did we?”

Letting out a sigh, Tony felt a little lighter. “I guess we did. I didn’t tell you I knew where your boyfriend is either. Or how I’m paying for all his medical expenses _. Or_ how I’ve sent a team for his well being.” 

Surprise looked good on him. “You did? How?”

“Money?”

When Steve pulled him in, Tony’s heart leapt out a little but the hug Steve gave him kept it safely inside his ribs. 

*


	15. Chapter 15

Being a double agent was _not_ fun, Tony decided. 

Even though he wasn’t helping Steve, he wasn’t handing him over to Ross; while everyone looked for Barnes, he wasn’t speaking his location either.

“He is getting well.” T’Challa was speaking. “His doctors are hopeful; he started exercising daily as well.”

“With you?” Tony asked. He wasn’t feeling that good with knowing the guy was up and around but T’Challa assured him that he wasn’t letting him go. ‘ _He is basically locked up.’_ He said. ‘ _But to be fair, if he asks to leave, I won’t stop him.’_

That part was not sitting well with Tony. 

“Have he tried to escape yet?”

Shaking his head, T’Challa answered no. “He is cooperative. He didn’t ask for Rogers either, I asked.” 

Which was interesting. 

“Why?”

“I don’t know. But he doesn’t want him to know that he is awake. Probably because he’ll ask to go under again when he is fit for it. No need to notify Rogers when results will be the same.” 

Eh. 

*

It all went downhill when UN approved Tony and his small team to protect a city which was under attack of some slimy- _things_. 

It was under his control, he’d later say. It was totally under his control. 

Until they went nuclear on his ass. 

*

“Tony! Tony-“ someone was trying to take apart his face plate. 

“His vitals are not readable.” 

That was Vision. That voice, Tony would know anywhere. 

“You mean usually you can read his vitals? Still?”

Surprisingly, that voice was Clint’s. Which came from afar, not from the hands which were still trying to put his face plate apart. 

“You can’t open it like that and you know it Wanda.”

Wanda?

“Yes but he might be dying inside! Doesn’t anyone else have a key?”

Actually someone had, but-

“His systems are down, if you just let his suit recharge-“ but Wanda wasn’t listening and Tony was sure she was trying to pick his suit apart. She tried until a door opened. 

“I can’t make him move!” 

Tony didn’t get an answer but the newcomer was turning his suit to his side like they were looking for his neck-they were looking for his neck. 

“There you go. Are you okay?”

Fresh air felt nice but Wanda was talking before Tony could answer. 

“You have a key to his suit?”

“It’s not exactly a key, are you okay Tony? Do we have water? Where is Peter?” 

“You have a key to his suit.” 

Tony would laugh if he had the energy. Steve must have gotten the fact that the team would not let him go unless he answered as well, so he sighed. 

“I have a _pass_ , not a key. Handprint. He installed it after Chituari. _Where is Peter?”_

“In the bed. The kid fainted when the dome broke and we got out. Vision says he saved us all by pushing webs to all of us, at the same time and now he’s exhausted.”

Tony would feel like he was in a coffin if he hadn’t designed the suit himself. It felt so heavy when it was dead. 

Steve didn’t act like it though. While listening to his friends and asking new questions, he moved him as he wanted. When he finally moved Tony into a sitting position though, he finally stopped damage control with others and turned to look him in the eye. 

“ _Are you okay?”_

Tony didn’t roll his eyes. 

“I’m not dead. Suit is drained and _radioactive._ Why are you all here?”

Steve was checking his eyes and face, not answering.

“Rogers,-“ that made him look. “ _Why are you all here?”_

Sighing, Steve replied. “We couldn’t let you guys handle it alone. Which you couldn’t, so don’t even start. We have to open this thing, where should we start?”

Tony didn’t even know. 

*

“Here.” Steve handed him a mug. Water, to his disappointment. 

“You need to hydrate and you know it. Peter is up, if you want to see him.”

Tony mumbled an ‘in a few’ and sipped his water. News were all over; Spider Man and Iron Man saving the world. 

“How did you stay invisible?”

Putting his hands into his jean pockets, Steve explained. “Vision altered the cameras and channels. I don’t know how, so don’t ask. He was the first one to sense our arrival and he decided first. We were ready to get caught but no one recorded anything.”

“People must have seen.”

“They must have. But no one filed a claim yet.”

Didn’t mean it’d go like that. Someone always found a way to blame them for results. 

“This won’t change, will it?”

Frowning, Steve asked what he was talking about.

“We. I’m now UN approved and going by the book but look at us, I nearly died. Again.”

“And you survived. Again.”

Tony didn’t point out that it was also the second time he opened his eyes to see his face but maybe Steve was thinking the same thing because he smiled a little.

“Your secret’s out. The hand pass, I mean. Will you remove it?”

“It’s out to them, not to public.” 

When Steve’s smile got a little brighter Tony looked at him for a while but then left him to look for Peter.

With his _empty_ mug, thank you.


	16. Chapter 16

“But Mr. Stark!”

“Kid-“

“People are _dying_! How can we sit and watch people dying? _We can end it!”_

Sighing, Tony closed his eyes and waited for a while and when Peter got silent with his silent rage, Tony opened them again. 

“Welcome to the brave new world, huh?”

*

“So, is this Jarvis?” Peter squeezed next to him and looked at his screens. “I thought his colors would be blue.”

 _‘It still is, Mr. Parker. I do change my color palette according to Mr. Stark’s sleepiness.’_ Came his reply. 

“Oh, _oh!_ He has the same voice! Will you help us? Is he not traceable Mr. Stark?”

Tony left them to their devices while looking for his-what? Ex team members? Ex friends? 

Ex something else? 

It wasn’t like they went all radio silent on each other. After that nuclear octopus thing Tony left Steve a phone of his, instead of his old thing. ‘ _Untraceable_.’ He offered. _‘And I mean it._ ’ He assured him. ‘ _Keep it turned on and I’ll find you.’_

‘ _For a chat?_ ’ Steve asked with a sad smile like he wished for that rather than some apocalyptic news. 

*

“Hi.” 

Tony didn’t feel that awkward since Pepper, which was telling something but Tony wasn’t listening for it. 

“Are you okay?” was the first thing Steve asked. It was so Steve that Tony had to smile a little. 

“I’m good. The world isn’t, though.” 

Peter was playing a holo-basketball game with Jarvis in the other workshop, behind the glass walls. It was amazing to see how the kid reacted to his tech. 

“What is it and where is it? Are you two safe?”

While sending the coordinates, the second question stopped Tony. He knew Steve would ask that but hearing it made him stop for a moment.

“Tony?”

He was worrying over him.

“You were going to kill me.”

The line went silent so fast that Tony thought he ended the call but the color didn’t change. He was still on the line. 

“Why did you stop, Steve?”

Tony was so sure that he’d get silence again he flinched when Steve answered.

“Why did you?” Tony frowned but Steve was talking. “Your blasters were working. You gave me my final warning but I still went after you.”

On the other side of the wall, Jarvis scored and Parker yelled a ‘COME ON, MAN!’.   
İ>  
“You didn’t blow my face off. You ripped Bucky’s armapart but you didn’t blow my face off. _Why didn’t you?”_

Thumbing down buttons and sending the coordinates, Tony murmured a ‘ _you know why.’_

“No, I don’t. I need to hear it as much as you want to know my reasons. Before all of this I’d go to _war_ for you, just like I’d do for him. I would stand in front of everyone, just like I did for him. He doesn’t believe that I’d do everything for him because he doesn’t remember everything but what’s your excuse?”

When Tony opened his mouth, Steve cut in with a ‘ _don’t say I didn’t tell you your parents, this is not about that.’_ And Tony closed his mouth.

Another score, this time from the other side. ‘ _Take that, mastermind!’_

“You’d go to war for me. Not anymore?” 

He knew he was cheating and he’d eventually give in but he wouldn’t be a Stark if he didn’t resist. 

“I’m already in a war, Tony. People are offering me the world for ending you. They know I can get inside the tower and get you. They know I can steal _anything_ from you.”

Swallowing, Tony asked what his price would be. 

“Freedom? Healing triggers of Barnes? Annulment of the Accords?” 

When Steve sighed, Tony felt that sad pull again like the one where he pushed too far with his drawings and Steve snapped. 

“You can, you know.” He offered. “Get inside the tower and get me. I didn’t change the locks.”

Steve must have sensed that Tony was trying because his voice got softer. 

“I know.”

“You can steal things too, if you wanted. Not that they’re that expensive but yeah. Maybe a few patentable things in my shop but I’m not sure anyone could get what they are. But yes, you could steal them from me.”

“I know, Tony.”

Swallowing again and watching the game on the other side, Tony answered the question. 

“I trusted you. A split decision, of course. I wasn’t even conscious of doing it but _I was trusting you_ to not let me be a killer, even though he was one-don’t start, I know it wasn’t him but you get the idea.” When he didn’t answer, Tony leaned back on his chair and sighed. “I can’t say it, you still don’t deserve it Rogers.”

“ _Rogers_? Are we really back to that?” 

Smiling a little, Tony answered. “Maybe. You are distressing me when people are attacking innocents. Go be a hero, would you?”

Tony could swear he heard him snort before ending the call.


	17. Chapter 17

Watching the news was a thing Tony had to learn and it was nerve wrecking. 

“Did you see that? Friday, show me that-“ the blast where Steve nearly got hit was making his spine tingle. 

“Does it always look this way? I remember it being more heroic!”

 _‘It is, Sir. It’s just that you’re now on the other side of things.’  
_  
“Oh God. I’m now more scared of Natasha, note that.”

 _‘Noted.’  
_  
*

“Who tips them off?” Rhodey asked one morning when Tony visited him in his new offices. “Someone surely tips them off. Is it you, Tony?”

Taking a bite from the doughnuts he brought because Rhodey wasn’t allowed to eat them, Tony answered with a full mouth. “No.”

“Swallow, dear.” 

“I’m not even allowed to know your stuff, remember? Your guys use my codes now, I can’t pass them.”

Looking at him, Rhodey told him that he found that hard to believe but Tony was using his innocent eyes. 

“I’m not tipping them off!”

Jarvis was. 

*

“I found what’s different!”

It wasn’t as explosive as Tony hoped for it to be but he wasn’t looking for an audience. 

_‘What is it, sir?’  
_  
Opening the door to his safe, Tony didn’t answer her. 

*

“Hello honey.” Tony answered the opening door. 

“Tony? What are you doing here?” Steve asked, while getting him inside and checking out the corridor after him. “I thought you’d let me know first.”

“I rang the bell?”

He sighed but he was smiling, so it wasn’t that bad. “It’s risky.”

“ _You’re_ risky, look at your face. You didn’t get this purple in New York, what’s the difference Rogers? And this apartment is worse than the others, what is this place?”

Tidying the place a little, Steve shrugged. “I’m not picky. And I’m purple because I used to have a partner, remember?”

While Tony was going to offer her name, Steve shook his head. “He used to blast everyone off around for me to run freely. I liked that.”

When Tony didn’t answer, Steve pulled a wayward throwdown blanket from the floor and threw it aside to get in front of Tony. “I liked it when he was watching my six.”

“And all other numbers.”

Smiling a little, he repeated. “And all other numbers.”

Biting his lip, Tony looked at his face. He was back to his old blond self but he looked tired. “Still getting offers, Rogers? What’s the price these days?”

Smiling a little, Steve answered with an _‘a lot._ ’ “What are you doing here Tony?”

“I brought you a ‘ _get well soon’_ gift. Isn’t that the friendly way?”

Narrowing his eyes, Steve waited for it and Tony had to turn over his big paper bag. 

“This is not Prada, you see.” 

Steve shot him a look but got the bag and when he caught the weight of it, Tony saw him hitching a breath. 

“You didn’t.”

Smiling a little, he nodded. “I think I did. It was painful to watch.”

Laughing that soft laugh, Steve tore open the bag and when he saw his shield, his eyes lit up reminding Tony the moments when he saw one of his suits in times of need. 

“Do you two need privacy?”

Turning his head to him, the look Steve gave him paused him in his tracks. He looked so much like himself from _Before_ that Tony had to swallow the _Now_.

“I better get going then. Don’t get anymore purple, yes?”

When Steve didn’t say anything, Tony turned for the door and when he got out, he let out the breath he was holding.


	18. Chapter 18

“This is _awesome!”_

To his eyes, maybe. To Tony’s eyes though, it was just one of those annual events. 

“Don’t lose your card, kid. My security detail follows you too but don’t get lost.” 

Nodding his head, Parker declared that he wanted to check out the schedule desk first. What a nerd, seriously. He brought him to Stark Expo and the kid wanted the schedule table. 

“Get lost, go away, I’ve got adult business, go.” 

He didn’t need to say it twice.

*

It was all and well, seriously. Tony has been doing these Expo things since he was a baby and it was easy. He had it under control.

Until a red laser got him in the eye when he was on the stage, making the talk. 

It happened so fast that Tony couldn’t understand what was _happening_. 

Red sniper laser caught his eye, Jarvis - _not Friday_ \- told him to duck. But before he could do that it was a loud bang- _people screaming-_

And not getting hurt because suddenly a red-white-blue wind clanked in front of him, then fell to the floor. 

Steve’s shield. 

“ _Move_ , Tony!”

That he did.

*

When he got off the stage, it was Natasha who caught his arm.

“Hi, you good?” He nodded to her back because she was dividing the crowd and letting him pass. 

Everyone was screaming, everyone was _fighting_ \- “Was that an _arrow_ -Are all of you here? Are you _insane_?”

“Not everyone.” Natasha threw over her shoulder. “Barnes is sleeping.” 

No he wasn’t but Tony wasn’t about to open that jar. 

“And T’Challa sent his apologies, he had his meetings. But he’s the one who tipped us off, so you must forgive him.”

That was fine with him. 

“Can you run?”

He didn’t know but he’d try. 

“I’ll see you when I’ll see you. He’s yours.” 

Tony couldn’t ask who was whose because someone else pushed him forward through one of the back doors but Tony knew, knew, _knew_ it was Steve and they ran. 

He _could_ run, it seemed. 

*

When he threw him inside a black car, Tony found his footing at the last second and righted himself but Steve was after him and when he landed next to him, the car moved. 

Fast. 

“Who is driving, _a_ _maniac?”_

“Why do you always forget my name Stark? It’s Lang!” came the answer but Steve was pushing the button to raise the divider up. When it reached the ceiling, Tony turned towards him to ask if he was insane but maybe he knew what was going to happen because he didn’t flinch and he welcomed it with admirable reflexes. 

Steve was pushing him into the door, _into_ _the car itself_ , and Tony couldn’t believe he tasted like that because he liked it and now he knew how Steve _tasted_ \- 

“If I was a second slower-“ Steve didn’t go on and when he pulled him again to cover his lips, Tony hang onto his ears, kissing him with anger and resentment. 

“You idiot-“ he whispered when they pulled apart for some breath. “What were you _thinking?”_

Steve swallowed something and when he told him that he _wasn’t_ , Tony let out a breath. 

“I saw the sniper and I didn’t think.”

“And now we’re running away. They’ll be after me, you can’t kidnap me-though you did, I know, but I have to go Steve. And tell that idiot to drive more safely, what the hell-“ when Steve started to laugh, Tony hit him.

“Shut up. I said _shut up,_ Steve. This is not funny!”

But it was. 

And it was lovely. 

Tony had no problem with it.


	19. Chapter 19

“You are a moron, Rogers. To sway in like that? It would be easier if you hired a billboard in Times Square.” 

“Saying what?” Steve asked while getting rid of his jacket. “ _’Don’t touch him or else’_ would be expensive-are they still billing per word?”

Even though his heart was beating faster, Tony was adamant not showing it. “Why do you always go macho on your friends, seriously? Is it a kink? I won’t judge.” 

Gotten rid of his jacket, Steve looked bigger. Or Tony was feeling smaller, which was something he refused to do on principle. 

“How are you going to communicate with others?”

“I’m not going to. I was there to get you out and I did. They’ll cover their backs.”

Looking at the man who was getting near him, Tony asked how they were going to do that. “You broke Stark Expo and kidnapped Stark _himself_ , you are already on the news.”

“But did I really _kidnap_ Stark?” Steve asked, finally in front of him. “Or did he come willingly?” 

His eyes were smiling. He was flirting with Tony and his eyes were smiling. 

“Barnes is awake.” 

Tony didn’t know why he blurted that out – _yeah, okay, he knew why_ \- but it worked and Steve took a step back with a ‘ _what_?’ so heartfelt that Tony gulped. 

So much for flirting. 

*

“No.”

“I have to see him! You tell me he’s awake but I can’t see him? Why, Tony?”

“I’m not conditioning him to be my soldier if that’s what you’re wondering.”

To his credit, Steve looked so horrified that Tony relaxed a little.

“He’s okay. He wasn’t ready to go under and T’Challa ordered his people to wake him up. He still wants to go to sleep so he didn’t want to notify you.”

“But he notified _you?_ ” Steve asked, naturally.

“No. T’Challa and I work together in this. He thought someone else should know what’s going on with him. Someone who has the means like him.”

“Money.”

“And power. Influence. I may be Ross’ lapdog but I’m not actually powerless.”

Sighing, Steve told him he knew that. “All this time though, he was awake and he didn’t want to see me.”

“Feeling underappreciated?”

When Steve sent him a glare, Tony shrugged. “It’s the truth. The man’s afraid to be found, even by you. You have to respect that.” And when Steve didn’t answer, Tony laughed a little. “Look at us; I’m protecting your boyfriend.” 

“For the last time; he is not my boyfriend Tony.”

Tony would roll his eyes if Steve didn’t go with “I kissed you in the car.” And they were back to square one with that. 

“Yes, you did. Quite hard, in fact.”

Predictably, Steve went mother hen on him in an instant but Tony was taking a step back and told him he was fine. 

“And now I have to go, _for real._ Or they’ll put a bounty on my head.”

“Don’t you want to know who were they? Can’t you sit tight for a few days?”

“Few ‘ _days’_? Are you out of your mind? If I don’t return in an hour my stocks will go nuts, all my CEOs will have complimentary heart attacks and I’m not talking about my _own_ heart here-which is still faulty, you know.” 

“It’s _alright_ Tony. I’m not going to kiss you again.”

 _That_ shut him up.


	20. Chapter 20

“It doesn’t justify my actions but I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have done that.”

Tony was so shocked that he couldn’t answer even though his brain was processing what Steve was saying. _Shouldn’t have_ , he said. _I’m sorry_ , he said. 

“Right. Well. I’m going to ask for your guy’s reports and will keep you posted as well. But for all records and purposes, you don’t know he’s up and about, you get it Steve? T’Challa will _skin_ _me_ if he learns and not even you can stop him, he nearly got your BFF, remember?”

“BFF?”

He looked so cute that Tony couldn’t resist smiling. 

“Look it up sometime.” 

*

When Tony got back to his tower and let his board and press staff that he was alive and breathing, he got a text. 

_‘This, I can agree on. Are you finally getting what he means to me?’_ it said. 

Rolling his eyes, Tony didn’t text back. 

*

Trust Natasha Romanoff to don’t care about politics when it didn’t suit her. 

“Steve says he kissed you and you didn’t like it.” 

Jumping out of his skin, Tony turned to her. “Tell him that one day you’ll be the death of me.” 

“You jump so _delicately_ , I can’t resist.”

Glaring at her, Tony asked what she wanted. “I’m out of scandals at the moment.”

She owned the place like she never left it. Twirling one of his screwdrivers in her hand, she replied. “And here I thought I had a juicy one. A kiss between two heroes.” 

“Nothing to tell. Happens to best of us. Adrenaline and everything.”

Humming, Natasha told him that she didn’t hear it that way. “What I heard is, Steve kissed you but you didn’t like it. You even said so.”

“I did not! And why are you interrogating me? Go hunt Barnes.”

“I know where he is, I don’t need to hunt him.”

“Steve doesn’t hold back from you, does he?”

Smiling a little, Natasha told him no, Steve didn’t tell her anything but _Tony_ did. “I’ll get it out of him later.”

When Tony growled at him, Natasha smiled. “It’s so cute that you both think you can keep secrets from me. I had known Steve knew where Barnes was but I didn’t expect you to know as well. And you’re protecting the secret too, interesting.”

“What do you want? Please. You’re hurting my ego.”

Keeping her smile, Natasha answered. “The kiss. Spill.”

“What are you, twelve?”

“Are you asking my _age_ , Stark?”

Laughing, Tony gave up and headed towards the bar, her following his steps closely. 

*

“You’re an idiot but that’s now news. You told him that he forced himself on you, you are really a moron when you get scared.” She was licking her finger and it was distracting.

“We have spoons.”

“I like my fondue like this. Are you objecting?”

“No, but I’m afraid you might hurt me afterwards.”

Smiling behind her finger, Natasha replied she could hurt him anytime she chose. “That doesn’t change the fact that you’re a moron, though. Steve thinks he _assaulted_ you-“

“He didn’t-“

“But he doesn’t know that, does he? He’s from the forties, Stark, you should’ve been more clear.”

Tutting, Tony denied that. “Trust me, I’m sure that he has a set of kinks.” 

Smiling a little, Natasha licked another finger. 

“Really? Do tell.”


	21. Chapter 21

“Would you believe me if I said I’m at gunpoint right now?” Tony asked when Steve took his call.

‘ _What!?’_ he heard Steve yelling but Natasha was calm. “Tell him it’s me.” 

“It’s Natasha, if it’s any help.”

 _‘It’s not-what, why?’_  
  
It would be adorable if Tony wasn’t really looking at a gun. 

“Say you’re sorry.” 

“I’m sorry.”

“Now explain why you’re sorry.”

 _‘Tony, what’s going on?’_  
  
When Tony looked at her though, Natasha must have seen something because she left him to his devices. Literal devices. 

When the door closed after her, Tony sighed. “She’s gone.”

“What’s going on? Why is she there, she had to be in Litvania.”

Rubbing his nose bone, Tony murmured that she might have taken the longer route. “Today I learned that she’s a gossip, did you know that?”

“Didn’t you know that? She’s a _spy_ , Tony.”

“Right. Well, she spied on us and wanted the receipts.”

“I’m not sure I get what you’re talking about. Try the beginning, would you?”

Sighing, Tony went back to beginning and told him that he didn’t assault him. “I didn’t mean that, I swear. It was just a hard kiss, that’s all.”

When there was no sound, Tony dove deeper and told him that he didn’t push him either. “It was a two way tango, Rogers.”

“Don’t.”

Biting his lip, Tony answered him that he got scared. “Everything happened so fast and you know how I hate traps. Not that you were a trap, don’t get it wrong again-the day was a trap-not that you guys saving me was a trap, I’d be dead if it wasn’t you-“ he could go on but Steve, always the smarter one where there were emotions involved, made him stop. 

“It’s okay Tony, I meant it. I was emotional too. I got scared, I thought I’d lose you and I wasn’t ready for that.”

When Tony didn’t reply, he went on. “Not then, not ever. I’m not good with goodbyes, if you didn’t notice.” 

Smiling a little, Tony told him that it was news to him. “I thought you were a have ‘em toss ‘em kind of guy. Not getting attached to people or anything.”

“I’m not, and you know it. I don’t have many people in my life, Tony. And I’d hate to lose you, I’m not ashamed to say that.”

What about himself, Tony thought. Didn’t all that spring from that particular fear?

“How’s your boyfriend?”

The answer ‘ _You tell me.’_ hurt for some reason. For the first time, Steve didn’t deny it. 

“T’Challa says he’s up and about; watching forests all day and doing nothing.” 

“He always liked forests, it might help him. He found trees and mountains serene, he always liked it when nature was bigger than all of us. T’Challa really knows what to do with him, doesn’t he?” 

Tony could hear the unspoken ‘ _maybe he’s better than me’_. 

“I’m not sure he’ll become the next Steve to his Bucky. It’s not possible because you’re not the Steve you were and he’s definitely not the Bucky you knew. T’Challa has an expert team under his hands and they help him to rehabilitate a patient who needs their help. You’re no doctor Steve, neither am I. You should let them do their _job_ , this is not a race about who’s the goodiest best friend.” 

With a smile in his voice, Steve told him _he_ was the goodiest best friend. “He’s my family. There’s nothing I wouldn’t do for him and not many people can say that for others, can they?”

In all honesty? “No, they can’t. And you’re lucky, you know. Both of you. I’m not sure if he’d move the mountains for you too but-“

“He would. I told you he likes it when the nature is bigger than all of us, he’d be the guy to move the mountains for me.” 

And Tony would let him. If he couldn’t help him, that was. 

Steve didn’t hear his thoughts but it was enough that one of them did. 

*

“Are you serious right now?”

“Yes!” Thor replied. “I need your help, my friend. You and your friends. Do say you are with me and that I have you on my side.”

Swallowing, Tony replied that he _was_ on his side but he didn’t know the others. “We’re all over the globe, you see? We can’t be seen together.”

Frowning at that, Thor asked if that rule applied for all other dimensions. “In Asgard, I don’t think we’d mind at all.” 

Tony couldn’t stop smiling to that. 

*

When Steve appeared on his door with all others, Tony was pleasantly surprised.

“Just like the old good New York days, huh? Six of us, the original team?”

Steve told him that he asked Wanda too but she told Steve that she wanted to be left behind, just in case something came up. Vision said he’d stay too, so it was the original team, after all. 

“It is. I hope Loki doesn’t come into play though.”

Smiling to Clint, Tony said he hoped for that too but Thor assured them that it wasn’t about Loki, not that time. 

“Asgard and I need you, my friends. Thank you.” 

And off they went. 

*

“Feels nice, doesn’t it?” Steve asked when it was all over. 

“Nice to breathe, yes. For all of Thor’s grand gestures, he could’ve said that it would be a battle from the second we’d landed. I don’t think my heart slowed down to a normal rate yet.”

Smiling, Steve leaned on the balcony next to him, looking at Asgard. After the battlefield, Thor took them to the city and his palace, saying they deserved to have some rest. 

Which was good because Steve was hurting all over and it was nice to have a breather. 

“They have good architecture, though. Look at those towers, you can’t build them back in New York.” Tony pointed out. “The length of the buildings are decided beforehand, it shows.” 

Listening with one ear, Steve answered that he liked the colors of the city. “Looks like a fairytale land.”

Smiling wistfully, Tony told him that they could stay here. “Thor wouldn’t mind, I’m sure.”

Looking at him sideways over the sunset Steve asked him what he would do without his tech. “It’s not like there’s an artificial intelligence built in the palace. You couldn’t survive.” 

Laughing and turning to the view, Tony nodded. “There’s that.”

Steve confessed that it would be nice, though. “A place without Accords. A place where they respect heroes.” 

Tony murmured that their people respected them too. “They just want to use us, out of respect.” 

Snorting, Steve looked at him again and when their eyes met the topic changed without a word. 

“Here we are.” Tony murmured. “And you didn’t even tell your boyfriend.” He added. 

“I’m sure he can handle himself.” Steve answered. “And he knows that I’d return for him, so it’s okay.” 

Nodding, Tony didn’t say a word. 

“Do you think T’Challa would let me see him, when we get back?” Steve asked after a while. 

Shrugging, Tony said he didn’t know. “He says he’ll call for you when Barnes asks for you.”

“So he didn’t ask for me. And he doesn’t know that I know, either. He still wants to go to sleep, doesn’t he?” 

When Tony nodded, Steve took a big breath and turned to watch the sunset again. Which was unfair because the sunset’s glow was making him look all princely, like _he_ was Thor’s brother, instead of Loki. 

“You could fit in here.” Tony murmured. “You look Asgardian enough.” 

When Steve turned to him with surprise, Tony pointed out his looks and shoulders and basically everything. “You look like them. Tall and everything.” 

Smiling a little, Steve answered that he liked it back home. “It’s nice to be here but I belong back there. With you.” When Tony looked at him, Steve repeated it. “I belong with you all.” 

There was a big difference in those sentences but Tony didn’t push it. 

He’d take them both.


	22. Chapter 22

Everything happened for a reason, Tony surmised when they got back. 

While they were gone, UN needed them but they weren’t there, they learned. Wanda and Vision barely handled it but it was a close call, they said. 

Which granted a permit for Steve and the others when Tony pressured UN for it. 

“They might not sign the Accords but they’re raw power and I need back up.” He declared. “Wanda and Vision are not everything Earth got and even though Wanda was against the Accords, you’ve wanted her help.” He added. “Rogers and the others are not refusing to help.” Tony pointed out. “They _can_ help.” 

When Ross told Tony that UN wouldn’t simply let them go without supervision, Tony wrote his name under the dotted line. 

“I vouch for them.” Tony declared, against Steve’s wishes. “You want to have a hold on my power, don’t you? Here, you can have it.” Tony answered the man. “I’ll manage them, with your eye on us. Didn’t you want this from the start anyway?” He asked. “I’m making it happen, don’t let your pride get in the way, would you?”

It was nice that he learned a few tricks from Natasha about playing to a man’s ego.

It always worked.

*

“ _’Mommy and Daddy are together’_ , which one of us is the mom?” Tony asked pointing out the headlines but Steve wasn’t listening. 

“T’Challa’s message to you-he says Bucky’s been refusing to go to sleep for months. I didn’t know he was suitable to go under again. Why is he refusing?”

“I don’t know.” Tony replied while getting _his_ tablet from Steve. “I don’t leave my inbox open, Rogers.”

Smiling a little, Steve told him that he asked it of Jarvis. “It was better than asking you if there was any news-you don’t like talking about him.”

“Yet all we do is talk about him. Jarvis, forward T’Challa’s past mails about Barnes to Steve.”

‘ _Done, Sir.’_

“Anything else, lover boy?” Tony asked but to his surprise, Steve shook his head. 

“I just want to understand. You know about his situation more than me, you understand what his doctors _mean_ -I’m not that equipped, that’s all.”

Sighing to that, Tony sat next to him and opened up the latest reports. “It’s not _that_ complicated, here. This means that he’s reacting to environmental changes and this here means that he’s cooperative about basic or detailed instructions.”

When Steve didn’t say a word but sat with rapt interest, Tony felt a pang in his heart and murmured that he didn’t get angry. 

“You can ask. But you can _learn_ too, he’s going to need a medical team for a long time.” 

Nodding to that, Steve told him that he could. “If I can find someone to teach me, that is. I’ve never been that smart to apply for medicine but I can understand the basics, I think. The technology, at least. The techniques.”

“You want to understand even if he doesn’t.” 

“Yes. Someone has to look out for him and I want to be able to _understand_. And I’m sorry for irritating you but you’re all I have about this. Who else can I go?”

Sighing, Tony nodded and told him that they could work on it. “Jarvis can set up a schedule for you and I can supervise it. Not to make you a doctor of course, I don’t know that too but to make you understand what the team is doing.” 

Smiling a sun to him, Steve nodded and Tony tried to not get affected but it was to no avail. 

The light was always faster than everything else. 

*

‘ _Sir, urgent message_.’ Jarvis broke protocol over Friday to let him know that something was up. ‘ _His Majesty T’Challa has sent an urgent message to our private channel.’_

“What is it?” Tony asked when Jarvis didn’t show it. “Don’t tell me it’s bad news.” 

_‘I can’t decide.’_ Jarvis answered. ‘ _He says Barnes asked for our Captain.’_

Of course he did.


	23. Chapter 23

Steve could be a double agent if he put his mind to it, Tony decided. 

“What?!” he stormed into T’Challa’s rooms as if he didn’t know his pal was awake for nearly a year. “He’s awake? Why? Did something happen? Is he alright?”

T’Challa looked so stricken that Tony couldn’t stop himself joining in on the conversation and he stepped into the room as well. “Of course he is, nothing can stop that man, you know it Rogers. T’Challa, always a pleasure.” 

“Stark. I wasn’t expecting you here.”

Smiling a little, Tony looked at him. “Doing the unexpected, that’s me. How’s his-“ waving his hand, he asked. “- _whatever?”_

Sighing, T’Challa answered that Barnes was fine. “He wanted to see Rogers and I complied. His medical records are there.” Which made Tony sway that way but Steve wasn’t done, of course.

“But why is he awake? Is he okay? Can we see him?”

“Of course you can. Your hand print has been approved in the system and his floor is the 8th floor. You may see him any time he wants.” 

He was gone in an instant. 

*

“So, what’s the problem?”

When T’Challa looked at his way, Tony was unbuttoning his jacket to lean back in the chair which felt like a throne itself. “He was awake for nearly a year, why call him now?”

“He wanted to see Rogers, you should ask him for his reasons.” 

Shuddering, Tony murmured a ‘ _no, thanks._ ’ “I’m still purple all over from the last meet and greet. Also I’m sure he wouldn’t want me to burst into their love parade either. So how’s it with you? Last I heard you’ve been neglecting the palace. All that gold. I can babysit there, if you want?”

He shook his head, predictably. But he was about to ask something, Tony felt it. 

“Are they...” T’Challa asked finally. “Together?”

Laughing a little, Tony couldn’t resist. “Now or then?”

Raising his eyebrows, T’Challa asked both of times. Interesting. Humming a tune, Tony said he didn’t know. “ _For sure,_ I mind you. They’re too entwined and no one has solid proof.” Other than Steve not denying it with vehement force, anyhow. T’Challa was thinking the same it seemed because he nodded. 

“Other than them, I presume. Did you try asking Rogers?”

Shaking his head no, Tony replied he didn’t want to know. “They _obviously_ have something, Steve was ready to face the world for him. He _bulldozed me_ when I tried to touch the man. The other is no different even though no one tried to harm Steve yet.”

Which Tony was sure that they’d see at some point. T’Challa looked thoughtful. 

“You failed, huh?”

And when he raised his head, telling him that he didn’t understand, Tony explained. “Your mission. It was obvious that you’ve made this a mission; redeem him. Rehabilitate him. I’m following his reports, he was doing nicely until today. What’d you do?”

“I haven’t done anything. My schedule is busier than attending him 24/7, Stark.”

Not saying anything to that but not believing it a second, Tony turned to his phone to ask Jarvis if they were being followed and T’Challa sat in silence too, doing nothing. 

*

When Steve came back, he looked like he was ready for a mission. 

“We can go now. Tony, get up. Your Highness, thank you so much for everything you’ve done for Buck. Honestly, I can’t express it enough. He showed me; his team, his doctors, all those machines, centers-it must be so expensive-how can I repay you?”

When Steve was finished, T’Challa looked like he didn’t know what to say to a grateful Steve. 

“It’s my honor, Captain. The cost is nothing. We owe your friend this, as a generation that failed him. We all have to fix the present to have a better future.”

Clapping, Tony announced that he was an excellent politician and pulling Steve back from him, he went on. “We should get going unless you’re staying? No? Good. T’Challa, see you around. Met Gala maybe? I heard they’ll go for nature theme this year- _alright_ we’re going.”

Tony pushed Steve towards the door but T’Challa went after them and asked about Barnes. “Is he ready too?”

“For what?” Steve asked. “He said he’d go for a swim later in the evening, that’s all I know. Tony, he’s going _swimming_ , isn’t that marvelous?”

Laughing under his breath, Tony nodded. “Calm down, Rogers, your baby already knows how to walk. T’Challa asked if Barnes was coming with _us_.” 

Steve was confused but all of a sudden it was _Barnes_ who answered. “No.”

Hearing the man speak and seeing him wasn’t the same as knowing he was there. Tony got frozen so fast that for a second he didn’t understand that T’Challa suddenly turned to the other side and covered his face against Barnes with his bulk. 

Tony was grateful. 

Barnes was there, at the entrance to roof, watching them and T’Challa asked if he was not going. 

While Tony was regaining his balance, he noticed that Steve had a hand on his back, like he was supporting Tony. When T’Challa asked his question to Barnes, Steve murmured a ‘ _he’s happy here’_ but it wasn’t looking like T’Challa was getting any answers because Barnes was raising his hands and slowly walking towards _them_. 

“ _James_ -“ Steve’s head turned to T’Challa so fast that Tony got scared for a second but T’Challa seemed like he didn’t care. “Be careful.”

The man coming to them had eyes for Tony’s middle, rather than his eyes and he told him he’d like to have a word with _him_. 

Upon that, Steve’s hand curled behind Tony’s back and T’Challa looked at Tony. When he looked at him though, Tony turned to grab Steve’s shirt, swallowed a huge breath and announced an ‘ _okay’_ which caused Steve to react. 

“Are you sure, Tony?”

Still nervous, he nodded. “Yeah. Yeah, we had our own talk, hadn’t we? We can talk some more, why not?”

Steve didn’t look that sure but he didn’t argue. When Tony looked at T’Challa’s way though, he was grateful that the man got his silent plea. 

“I’ll be there, just in case.”


	24. Chapter 24

“When I press this button, I won’t be able to hear a thing. No one records this room, Stark’s tech also approves that. I’m only going to interfere if violence ensues. We all agree?”

After both of them nodded, T’Challa put his headphones in, then took his phone but when he was about to press the button, Barnes stopped him. “I don’t mind you hearing. If he’s alright with it too.”

Tony wasn’t sure but when he shrugged, T’Challa turned to look at Barnes again. He was looking at him with a small frown so T’Challa nodded and put his headphones into his pocket. 

Tony knew he would _not_ be the first to talk so he kept his silence until T’Challa spoke. 

“Very well, then. What was it you wanted to talk about, James?”

When Barnes turned his gaze to Tony, Tony looked at him right and clear. He wasn’t afraid of him and the guy better knew it. 

“I just wanted to give him a chance to hurl at me, freely.”

That was unexpected. 

Raising his brows, Tony asked. “ _Hurl_ at you? Steve would kill me if I touched you again.” 

Which made Barnes shook his head and reply with “T’Challa won’t let him. Really, you can go at it.”

Laughing a little, Tony leaned back and watched Barnes. “You _are_ mad, aren’t you? What is this, a death wish? I won’t kill you Barnes. And if you want that, _T’Challa_ has a problem on his hands, not me.” 

T’Challa didn’t say anything to that but it seemed Barnes was not going to let go. 

“Aren’t you angry? You were angry-“ he tried again but Tony refused. 

“I’m over it. Yeah, I still want to kick you but it’s the 1991 me, not today. You killed my mom, I loved that woman. But I understand.”

Surprised, Barnes asked a ‘ _what_?’ and Tony nodded with a sigh. “I do, really. We are Starks, even I have a lot of contracts on my head. If I didn’t have any death threats, I’d be concerned. From all of those contracts, you succeeded killing Dad, it’s different. If you couldn’t, another would.”

He looked unsure. 

“I still don’t like you. I mean, I like you, as a person, as Steve’s friend but that’s all you’ll ever gonna get from me. Probably for the next decade. I’m angry for what they did to you, I have a team which still follows those tracks and I’ll end everything in order for them to not do this again but what’s done is done. You are Steve’s best friend, if not more, and I have to have you in my life to have him. So _yeah_ , you are in my life. Still.”

“I’m trying to be gone. Out of his life, if you didn’t notice.”

Letting out a sigh, Tony told him that it wouldn’t happen. “He won’t let you go. Ever. You have to accept it for the sake of everyone, really. He might hide you, he might make me buy an island to hide you in it too but no, he won’t let you go. You’re in his DNA, do you know what DNA is?”

“Stark.”

“Yeah, sorry about that. Anyway. You two can kiss along and do what it is people do when they get frozen and unfrozen in random intervals and I’ll be at New York. Anything else?”

Barnes was watching him with a clear gaze and when he didn’t say anything Tony started to get up but Barnes stopped him with his words. 

“We are not together.”

When Tony sat down again, he couldn’t stop himself asking. “You’re not? Why?”

It was a natural question but Barnes answered with a frown. “We’re just not.”

“But you _were_ , weren’t you? There are bets depending on this, Barnes.”

Sending him a glare, Barnes replied with a curt ‘ _yes’_ and confirmed Tony’s thoughts. “We were more than that. And when he fell for Carter, we found our own balance. He was-“ he stopped, like lost in thought. “He was my other half. And now he has a new life.”

Tony started to answer him that no, he was still Steve’s life but Barnes stopped him.

“With you.”

His eyes bulging, Tony leaned to table and answered that _they were not together, thank you very much_ but Barnes shook his head and went on _talking._

“We broke his heart that day. And he will _always_ forgive me, whether I’m myself or not. And for the times I weren’t myself or _won’t_ be myself, I can give you only this. You too have his heart.”

The guy looked so _sure_ of what the was saying that Tony couldn’t stop himself from looking at the glass walls surrounding them. 

Steve was outside, pacing the corridor. He couldn’t see inside but he insisted on staying there, refusing to go outside. 

“I _will_ kill you if you break his heart.” 

Startled, Tony turned to Barnes but he was unflinching. “No machine or prison can stop me, if I want to get out. And I _would_ want to get out, if you hurt him. What happened with your parents or my history is a different matter, if you hurt him-“ 

“Yes, _yes_ , I get it. Aren’t you going to ask why I forgave him?”

Shaking his head, Barnes answered no. “You’d do the same for him. Preventing him from feeling hurt if it was in your power. He was selfish and he thought of me but he put _your_ interests in his heart. If you can’t do the same when it was your call, then maybe I _should_ kill you right now.”

“Do you always kill your problems?”

When Barnes shrugged and told him that he was trained for it, Tony couldn’t hold back his snort. 

*

When they made it to the door and Steve appeared in the doorway, his face asked it all but it was T’Challa who answered. Better than Tony because inside, he was panicking. 

“They’re both alive and unharmed, which is the most we can ask for. Shall we?”

When Steve moved in to ask more questions though, T’Challa pointed him to the corridor, letting the other two to follow. 

“So you want me to do what, exactly?” Tony murmurs. “The guy is nonstop thinking about you, talking about you-you’re all we talk about, seriously.”

“You’re the only one he can go to, what did you expect?” Barnes asked. He knew a lot for a man who was always in a building in a different _continent._ “He sees you as a partner, do you think he’d talk about me with everyone? I’m his family, Stark. Steve protects his own. _With_ his own.”

Sighing, Tony asked him what that meant. “Are you giving us a blessing? There’s not an ‘ _us’_ , you know that right?”

Rolling his eyes, Barnes answered with a ‘ _yet’_. “You were brave that day, in that cave. Don’t change my mind.”

“I was angry, that day. Not brave.” Tony pointed out but Barnes refused. “I’m not talking about you attacking me. I’m talking about going after us and offering your help even though knowing that it would put you in a bad place.”

When Tony stopped, Barnes turned to him and went on talking with a low voice. “You came to help us. To help _me_ , don’t think I didn’t notice that. You didn’t know all the facts yet but you were brave. That’s something I can’t be, I respect that.” 

Laughing a little, Tony looked at him. “Pal, you are battling with _yourself_ , if that’s not bravery, I don’t know what is. It took me a desert and a shrapnel to face my demons and you call _me_ brave.”

Huffing a breath, Barnes didn’t answer that and when Tony heard T’Challa saying that he had a country to run, Tony moved towards them offering a team for that but T’Challa rolled his eyes. 

Tony knew the guy liked him.

“Thank you again for everything you’ve done for Bucky, we appreciate it so much. And I will find a way to repay you-“ Tony stopped him by saying that Barnes would help T’Challa for that, which made _T’Challa_ go still but Tony kept on. “He donated his body for _science_ so T’Challa is getting his own too, go on, carry on, we have a jet lag to catch. Did you hug? Go and hug, let us grownups talk.”

Rolling his eyes, Steve went to his pal but at least his gratitudes were over so Tony kept T’Challa to himself. 

“Seriously though, even Steve’s not that blind, you know? You should make your move before he understands what’s going on.” When T’Challa didn’t answer, Tony smirked. “We’re not talking about it then? Fine by me, see you around, Your Highness.”

After T’Challa nodded, Tony asked while letting Rogers pass to helicopter’s area. “Do you want us to give you a call when we need another hand? Another claw?”

Upon his question, Steve turned and said ‘ _yes’_. “Would you? You are a magnificent fighter and your stance would mean a lot.”

Amused, T’Challa asked them if they were honestly trying to recruit him but Tony was just as unabashed and he told him yes. “Having you in the team would empower us. Both financially and politically. Think about it and when you decide, let your people call my people. We’ll arrange the details.”

When T’Challa replied with an ‘ _I’ll think about it._ ’, Tony nodded and throwing a glance towards Barnes’ way, murmured to T’Challa. “Keep me posted.” 

After promising him that he would, Steve shook T’Challa’s hand again, hugged his friend, and they went to the helicopter. 

At least it was loud. Tony was afraid what would happen in the jet.


	25. Chapter 25

“Can you tell me what happened, Tony?” Steve asked after they took off. Even though Tony was waiting for it, he still didn’t know what to answer. 

“He wanted to talk.”

“Yes, but about what? You didn’t seem like you were going to kill each other when we left. And I like that, I’m up for that but _what happened?”_

Sighing, Tony went for the jugular and answered. “He gave me a chance to hurt him for all my anger and I refused him. Don’t look at me like that, I said I refused him.”

“Why?”

Raising his brows, Tony repeated. “Why? I don’t want to kill him, that’s why! I didn’t forget what happened but I didn’t lose my mind, Rogers. I get it. Someone else would, if he couldn’t.”

When Steve didn’t say anything, Tony went on. “It was you. I was angry at _you_. And we left that behind, didn’t we? Don’t open the past again.”

Steve nodded an okay but after a while he spoke again. “I’m glad you’re not killing each other.”

“Me too. Did he tell you why he asked for you?”

Taking a big breath, Steve nodded. “He decided that he’d go under a new program. He’s not going to sleep again, he wants to fight.” 

Even though he was pleased to hear that, Tony asked what program that was. “Whose?”

“His doctors. Two teams, he explained. One of T’Challa’s, one of yours. They’re going to aim resisting his triggers.”

“Is it possible?”

“Bucky says with minor trigger cases it has been documented. With him though, they don’t know. He wanted to let me know beforehand, if it goes wrong.”

Biting his lip, Tony looked at him and didn’t say a thing for a while. He wasn’t sure if that was the reason why Barnes called for Steve but he got that at some point Barnes decided to hold onto life. 

“T’Challa is good for him.” Steve admitted after a while. 

“Yeah.” Tony agreed. He didn’t want to reveal the guy but it seemed Steve was aware of it too. 

“Bucky talks about him with a light in his eyes. It’s been so long since I’ve seen that light in his eyes.”

And the last time it was probably for Steve, so Tony didn’t say anything but Steve also looked lost in thought. 

“It’s obvious that T’Challa also cares for him. All those things he’d done for Bucky, it can’t be only the goodness of his heart, can it?”

When Tony said he didn’t think it was like that either, Steve sighed. 

“I hope whatever happens, it goes well. He needs some good things in his life.”

“He has you.” Tony offered. It wasn’t a lie. 

“Yes but maybe he can’t be sure of me, you know? Maybe he still thinks that I’m after Bucky, not him. Maybe he thinks that I’m disregarding what has been happened to him, that I’m erasing his identity or something-“ Tony couldn’t listen to it. 

“He doesn’t think that.” 

When Steve looked at him, Tony was resolute. “He _doesn’t_ think that. He’s relearning himself, yes. But he also remembers you and he loves you Steve. He so very, _very_ dearly loves you.”

The jet was silent around them and Tony had no other place to go. 

“He told you something, didn’t he?”

When Tony didn’t reply, Steve knew he caught the scent. “What is it?”

“Steve-“ but he wasn’t buying it. “He called you. He called for me but he wanted to see _you_. Something’s going on and you’re hiding it from me-what is it? Is he okay?”

Rolling his eyes, Tony sighed. “He’s _fine_. You’re no different than each other, it’s disgusting. He called me to say to take care of you Rogers, he wants me to look after you and be the best we can be, okay?”

Steve was watching him with a frown and it was a bad thing because Tony could never escape him. 

“He didn’t say that.”

When Tony didn’t move, Steve repeated himself. “He wouldn’t say that. He wouldn’t ask anyone else to take care of me or ask for another to take care of me-he knows me, he knows I hate to be coddled. He _knows_ I’d never ask for someone to take care of me-I _hated_ that when I was sick.”

Tony didn’t have an answer for that, so he kept silent. 

“What did he ask of you? Please tell me the truth, Tony.”

Swallowing, Tony looked at him and after a while he jumped the gun. “He told me that I also had your heart.”

When Steve didn’t move but also didn’t blink, Tony went on. “He told me that you had a new life with me, you had a new place in your life and it was _beside me_. He told me that he and I broke your heart that day; fighting and forcing you to choose. He told me that for all that pressure though, you didn’t choose.”

It was a long, long flight and it was so silent. 

“You still didn’t choose. And maybe not choosing one of us has _been_ your choice itself, I get that now. Once, all choices were him, weren’t they?”

Nodding, he said yes. Yes, once upon a time all choices were him. 

“But that day you couldn’t choose.” 

Sighing, Steve smiled a sad smile. “I still can’t choose, Tony.” 

And wasn’t that wonderful?

*

Until Jarvis told them the half of the flight has been passed, it was silence in the sitting room. 

“Thank you, Jarvis.” Steve replied and “What’s next?” Tony asked. “Your calendar has a panel in Europe, you want me to drop you off?” 

“No, thank you. I want to go home, I don’t think I’m going to attend that panel actually. I want to take some time off, while I can.” 

Tony nodded. “Yeah. Also, my condolences, I never had the time.” 

When Steve frowned, Tony replied with Peggy’s name. “I know you loved her.” 

Nodding, Steve smiled a little. “I do. It’s been only a few years for me, you know? For the time I’ve lived, it’s been a few years since I met her.” 

“And fallen in love with her.”

Nodding, Steve keeps the smile. “I guess I’ll always love her. And she deserves it. Not that I’m a worthy someone of course but if I had to choose a woman to love for all my life, Peggy would be her.” 

A woman. 

When they kept on watching each other, Tony remembered the man who asked him to be brave. 

‘ _Steve deserves it.’_ He’d say. Probably. 

Taking a breath, Tony decided to bit the bullet. 

“I know the feeling.”

“Yes?”

“Yes. I found the guy for my ‘ _always’_ , as well.” 

There, he said it.


	26. Chapter 26

“What?”

Shaking his head, Tony told him not to do that. “You heard what.”

“But-“ he got silent. Of course he’d go silent.

And Tony had another room in the jet. Getting up he nodded Steve. 

“I’m going to take a nap. Jarvis, wake me up before landing.”

Before Jarvis had a chance to reply though, Steve’s reflexes talked and Tony found his wrist in Steve’s hand. 

“No you don’t. Tony-“ but Tony couldn’t have that so he tried to escape. 

Too bad it was a closed space and it was only them in the jet. 

“Let me go, Rogers.” 

Getting up, Steve denied that. “No. Is it me?”

So, they were doing it. 

“Is it? Tony, please. Is it me?”

“What do you think?” Tony replied. “What do you _think_ , Rogers? Who else can it be-Clint? Bruce? You spin my world around and you dare to ask me _who can it be?_ What do you think?”

“I can’t think! _I kissed you Tony_ , and you didn’t do a damn thing!”

Well. 

“You’re not the only one who’s scared of this. But I kissed you- I _did_ and-“ and he didn’t do anything. 

While holding his arm in his hand, Steve was still looking at him. 

“They tried to kill you and I couldn’t think. They wanted to use you and your influence for their own games and I couldn’t think. You tell me that you love someone and I can’t think-I have to hear it from you-even though you think it’s obvious-it is not. I can’t-“ Tony couldn’t either so he moved. 

He closed the gap and pulled him in, hoping that it was enough of an answer for him. 

It was. 

*

When Steve crashed him to the jet’s wall, Tony laughed a little. 

“I knew it.”

Smiling to his lips and trying to get him rid of his jacket, Steve asked what it was.

“You. You are kinky, aren’t you?”

Steve turned him towards the wall and pulled the jacket off of him then turned him back in order to kiss him again. When they broke for a breath though, Tony was smiling. 

“I never had sex in this jet. Care to be my first, Rogers?”

It turned out that Steve was fine with it. 

Tony _knew_ he was right.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There's a T'Challa/Bucky mirror of this story, which shares scenes with this one. If you like them, you may check that out as well. 
> 
> [When The Dawn Comes, Tonight Will Be A Memory Too](http://archiveofourown.org/works/6808429/chapters/15607438) : _James "Bucky" Barnes/T'Challa ; James "Bucky" Barnes & T'Challa_
> 
> Thank you for your comments and kudos, it means a lot, especially when it was a very hard decision for me to return to writing again. You made me not regret it. <3


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